Vehicle navigation systems are networked computer devices which use global positioning data to accurately determine a position of the host vehicle. The host machine also calculates a recommended travel route using associated geospatial, topographical, and road network information, and then displays the recommended travel route on a display screen. A vehicle navigation system may also provide precise turn-by-turn driving directions to other locations of interest contained in a referenced mapping database.
Hybrid, battery electric, and extended-range electric vehicles have electric-only operating modes, also referred to as EV modes, in which the vehicle is propelled solely using electrical power. Navigation systems for such vehicles may also display “eco-route” information, i.e., a preferred travel route along a road network between an origin and a selected destination that tends to maximize the duration of travel in EV mode, thus minimizing fuel costs and tailpipe emissions.